Former chief scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Earle — a leading proponent of protecting the earth’s environment and resources — has been called “A Living Legend” by the Library of Congress and “Her Deepness” by the New York Times. Time magazine named her its first “Hero for the Planet.”

Founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research Inc. and Mission Blue — Sylvia Earle Alliance (SEAlliance) — Earle is “Explorer-in-Residence” of the National Geographic Society and has led more than 100 expeditions as an oceanographer and explorer. She led the first team of women aquanauts during the Tektite Project in 1970.

Today, Earle’s work focuses on developing a global network of areas, both on land and in the ocean, called “Hope Spots” that would “safeguard the living systems and that provide the underpinnings of global processes, from maintaining biodiversity and yielding basic life support services to providing stability and resiliency in response to accelerating climate change,” according to Earle’s website.

A graduate of St. Petersburg College and Florida State University, Earle earned a doctorate from Duke University. She holds 22 honorary doctorates and has received more than 100 national and international awards.

For more information, contact Wilson College Manager of Media Relations Cathy Mentzer at 717-262-2604 or cathy.mentzer@wilson.edu.

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Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 30 majors and master’s degrees in education and the humanities. Wilson has been named a “Best Value” college in its region for 11 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” for providing quality academics at an affordable price. The college has been ranked one of the best regional colleges for undergraduate education for nine straight years by U.S. News.

Located in Chambersburg, Pa., the college had a fall 2012 enrollment of 695, which included 17 students from 9 foreign countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.